The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-07-16

Mrs. Norman has asked ne to be one
Of a small number who will spend thu
afternoon with her to morrow. ca,
hardly realize that to-day's happines,
is to be SO quickly followed by an
other day with her.
AUGUST 25th.-To-day she told me
the story of her life, and. to me. it seem,
strange hat through that life, desti.
tute of a mothers care, she should
have grown into such a perfect
womanhood. Yet who can have
known Il happier childhood than hers
must have been, in the love of a father
who gave to her, an only child, his
very thoughts. and who lived with her
and for her so thoroughly as to enter
into her pleasures, while, in the com .
partnership so formed, giving to her
thoughts a form and color which she
would otherwise have reached only in
later years.
With what q tender sadness she told
me of the day when she looked upon
his face only to find in it no answering
look of sympathy. Although then SC
young that she could hardly have
realized what it meant. there was still
a tremor in her voice at the remem.
brance. As l remember that, | can
not help wondering at such a love 3.
hers. almost tremble at the thought
that | may perhaps win that love.
Not before to-day have l SO well I'm.
derstood how she has had tho power to
make me SO utterly cease to be self
conscious as to surrender to her with.
out a thought all the strange ideas
and grotesque fancies that have found
IL Judgment with me. 1t is not that
she talks to me more than others, or
gives more smiling encouragement. 1t
is rather something simply in her
presence, and, however Ignorant l may
be Of her approach. with her there al.
ways comes a ems of companionship
which | have in vain sought for else.
where. 1t must be that there is be.
tween some human beings a mysteri.
Gus transmission of feeling, at least, il
not of knowledge.
To-day she told me. in but few words.
of the day in which she saw her father
in his last sleep. Yet it seemed that ]
stood beside him with her. l could
feel the solemn awe hat for a moment
kept her from realizing that he would
nevermore lead her from the shadows
out into the sunshine. the soft, spring.
time sunshine of life. The low muir.
muir of her voice, as she talked to me.
reminded me of Il line of Mrs. Brown.
lng's:
Sing hoarse with tears between.
a hear it now, it's tremulo us sweet.
ness rising and falling in musical ca
dence Of which no other voice that !
have heard is capable. A gentle voice
and a gentle heart are hers, and. in the
hope of calling them mine forever, !
can see, opening before me. the possi-
bilities of a greater happiness than !
have before dared to dream Of. can
feel that there is in me now a new life,
Il new power, that shall enable me to
make myself worthy Of her. who is
worthy of the noblest and best
AUGUST lSTH.--I was happy to-day
when l walked up the steps of the
house where she is visiting. The SER
want at the door told me that she was
not at home. and having no definite
idea where should go, was walking
slowly down the street when
my eye fell upon piece
Of paper, and, in my idle
mood. ! did what ordinarily /
would not have done. I,picked it UP.
As l unfoldei it l saw that it was a
somewhat torn and dirty letter. and l
had hardly time to think that it WIS,
perhaps, not intended for my eyes be.
fore l found my W name on The
sheet.
1t is enough to say that l read the
letter, a certain portion of which l nm
going to write down here:
4 tblHh J. HdNe uUt WElttCu " YOU " l1I.
Armistead. met him the third evening after
coming here, and Mrs. Norman said to me, be-
fore introducing him, that she hoped that l
could and would break the cold and distant
air which she had never seen him thor.
oughly overcome. Strangely enough, I sue
ceeded in SO doing, with no other
effort than / would naturally make In endeavor.
ing to be agreeable to any chance acquaAnt.
ance. Since then, ut Mrs. Norman's invita-
ton, he has called several times, and she says
that until now no one has supposed him I'd DO
in the least social in his nature. OF course, Il
gives me pleasure TO think that I have been
able too add to the pleasure Of any one, but, for
reasons which you will understand, ! have
thought it best to shorten my visit here, and 80
will return Friday Of next week.
"When l wrote to you last I did not know,
dear Lena, what ! must now confide TO YOU,
that John and l are 70 be married next
month
have penned the above with q certain keen,
yet terrible pleasure, which ! can Ms little un.
derstand Us explain. l have before NOW
know many o cruel agony to give me o wild de.
light, for which l account only IN the result Of
my con seriousness Of my ability to bear the
pain.
This I shall bear also. and I shall bear Il Nil
~.